Dry port development and hinterland air quality: Evidence from dry port developments in China

초록

Dry ports serve as critical logistics nodes linking seaports with inland hinterlands, yet their environmental impacts-particularly on urban air quality-remain insufficiently examined. This study investigates the causal relationship between dry port development and urban PM2.5 concentrations using data from 29 dry ports across 81 cities in China from 2006 to 2021. Using a Difference-in-Differences (DID) framework, this research quantifies the environmental impacts of dry port operations on PM2.5 pollution. However, substantial geographic heterogeneity emerges: pollution reductions are most pronounced in cities located 150-600 km from seaports and in regions with developed railway infrastructure, whereas dry ports beyond 750 km from seaports exhibit adverse environmental impacts. Additionally, environmental benefits prove stronger in less economically developed cities and coastal provinces. Overall, the findings demonstrate that environmental benefits are not inherent to dry port development but depend critically on planning integration, regulatory capacity, and transport system maturity. The study emphasizes the importance of considering environmental benefits in dry port policy design and underscores the need for flexible implementation pathways that reflect differences in regional development stages and transport infrastructure maturity.

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